Container construction



Patented 1935 I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE V commrzztzmucnon i 1 um AJnmarn'Newarh, N. Y.

Application July 16, 1931, Serial No. 551,152 Renewed June 7, 1934 8 Claims. (Cl- 217-32) The present invention relates to containers Referring to the drawing, Figs. 1 and 2 show such as are commonly made of cardboard, or the a suitable container 11, in which is disposed the like, for retaining fragile articles, such for exnew and improved filler generally indicated by ample as eggs, and pertains more particularly to the numeral 12. The container may be of any 5 means for partitioning the container to provide well known constructioniormed to provide a bot- 5 pockets for the contained articles. One object tom 15, ends 16, back 1'7, front 18, and a cover of the inventionis to provide a simple, practical, 19, having an integral flap 20. When the con i and strong filler having improved cushioning tainer is closed, the flap is disposed within the means for protecting the contained articles. container between the filler and'the front 18, as Another object of the invention is the provision clearly shown in Fig. 2. a I 10 of a filler of the character described comprising This new and improved; filler is arranged to a plurality of interengaged partition members of provide a plurality of article receiving pockets substantial construction in which provision is 25 formed by the longitudinal partition members made for eflectively cushioning the contained 26, 2'7, and 28, and the transverse partition mem- 5 articles and also for securing said partition. members 29. These members are preferably of the bars in interengaged relation. usual cardboard construction adapted to be eas- A further object is the provision of such a filler ily and quickly erected to provide the pockets construction for articles, such for example as 25, as shown inFig. 1, or to be readily collapsed eggs, in which the cushioning means of each cell substantially into a plane, as illustrated in Fig.

operates independently of those of the adjoining '5. The pockets are each preferably adapted 20 cells to compensate for the varying sizes of the in size to contain a single article, such as an egg. contained articles. To reduce the loss from breakage, the present To these and other ends the invention resides invention provides a suitable cushioning memin certain improvements and combinations of her for resiliently supporting the articles retained 25 parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully dein the pockets 25. The cushioning member may 25 scribed, the novel features beingpointed out in be of any desired material which is adapted to the claims at the end of the specification. flex or bend when pressure is applied thereto. In

In the drawing: v the present embodiment, for 'example, this cush- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a container in open ioning member comprises a. sheet of cardboard 3 position with the cover partly broken away, showscored along the line to provide an inclined 0 ing a filler constructed in accordance with the member 31 disposed at the'bottom of one of the preferred embodiment of the invention; rows of pockets 25 and adapted to resiliently sup- Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken transport the articles therein. The member 31 exversely of a filled container showing the cover tends transversely of the row, and has one edge 35 in closed Position; thereof engaging the bottom 15 at one side of 35 Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred the row while the opposite edge is held in eleform of transverse member embodied in h pr vated position along the score line 30 by means 11 inv n n; of an integral vertical supporting member '32 Fig. 4 is a plan view of the preferred form of which rests on the bottom 15 and extends part 40 cushioning member in fiat condition before it is way up the center longitudinal member 27, as 40 applied to the filler, showing the relation of the best shown in Fig. 2. various parts thereof, and v a While it is contemplated that the cushioning Fig. 5 is a side elevation view of the preferred members on opposite sides of the center longiflller and cushi nin m m in the' oll p d tudinal member 27 may beseparate, they are 5 or knocked down condition. preferably made integral, and areformed from slmilar r f r n n m ls throughout h a single piece of cardboard, scored along the several new cate t e sa e Parts. line 35 and folded on itself to fit about the lower The pres n invention i m di d, in the presedge of the longitudinal member 2'7, as shown ent instan y W y illustration. in an e g in Fig. 2, the cushioning member being prefercarton filler which combines strength inthe parably secured t t flller so as t form t 50 tition members with a novel flexible cushioning there ith. To this end, the vertical supporting member which provides separate resilient botmembers32 are permanently aflixed to the central toms on which the articles may rest when posilongitudinal member 27in any desired manner, as tioned in the filler, and which is adapted to lock for example, by any suitable adhesive.

5 the partition members in interengaging relation. V The transverse partition members 29 are preferably provided with portions 39 which project through registering slots 40 in the inclined members 31. While these portions may be of any desired shape, they preferably have straight lower edges, as shown in Fig. 3, andengage the bottom 15 for substantially the full width thereof to provide substantial bearing supports. The slots 40,

however, preferablyextend transversely of the members 31 for substantially the full width thereof to subdivide the members into a plurality of laterally extending flngers or tabs which-pro vide a separate and independent bottom for each of the pockets 25, the purpose of which construction will be hereinafter more fully described. The slots 40 are also preferably of sufficient width to permit the portions 39 to pass freely therethrough and to prevent binding of the members 31 on the partition members 29 when the former. are deflected as hereafter described. The upper edges of these transverse members are provided with leg-like portions 44 and intermediate portions 45, both of which project upwardly to the top of the box to provide a plurality of columnlike members which extend the full height of the box to afiord a. substantial support for the cover 19.

The longitudinal partition members 26, 27, and 28 are also preferably extended to the top of the box so that the top edges thereof lie substantiallyf jmembers thereof often become completely or partially disengaged from the other members, thus necessitating a reassembling of these disengaged members before the filler is placed in the box.

I The transverse partition members especially are apt to become thus disengaged.

To overcome this objectionable feature, the present invention provides means which effectively locks these transverse members in proper interengaging relation with the longitudinal members. It has been found that the cushioning member, above" described, is admirably adapted to accomplish this locking operation. To this end, the usual inter-engaging slots in the partition members are preferably arranged so that those in the longitudinal members open down- ,wardly, while those in the transverse members open upwardly. The upwardly opening slots in the transverse members are shown at 50, Fig. 3, and one edge of the downwardly opening slots in the longitudinal members is shown at 51, Fig. 5. Referring now to Fig. 2, it is readily seen that with the above mentioned arrangement of slots the transverse members 29 may be detached from the longitudinal members only by a downward movement relative thereto.

In order to prevent such movement of the transverse members, the vertical supporting members 32 are preferably extended along the bottom of the longitudinal member 27 for the full length thereof, and have portions adapted to close the open ends of all the slots therein so as to lock thetransverse members in interengaging relation therewith, in a manner to be presently deviding thin connecting strips 61 between oppositely disposed slots 40, which strips are arranged to close the ends of the slots in the member 2'7 ,to lock the transverse members in place. Integral extensions 62 are also provided for closing the end slots in the member 27.- While it is contemplated that strips similar to 61 may be secured to the longitudinal members 26 and 28 to lock the transverse member 29 to all of the longitudinal members, it has been found that the single locking means above described effectively retains the transverse members in place. By means of this simple and novel construction, the various partition members are retained in' their interening relation and thus eliminates the disadvantages present in the usual filler of this class.

When large eggs are placed in the usual type of container, the tops thereof often project above the top of the box. When, however, boxes containing such eggs are stacked during storage or shipping,'these projecting portions tend to support theweight of the overlying filled containers. As the members on which such eggs are adapted to rest are usually of an unyielding nature, many of the larger eggs are broken- To reduce the loss eggs so that they may be free to move downwardly'when subjected to the weight of the overlying filled containers, thus protecting the eggs against breakage. The present invention provides such flexible supports preferably in the form of the inclined members 31, heretofore described.

In addition to resiliently supporting the eggs, it is also desirable to provide a separate support or bottom for each of the various pockets so that each bottom may deflect independently of any other bottom in proportion to the size of the egg resting thereon. These independent bottoms are preferably provided by means of the tabs formed by the slots 40 which extend transversely of the inclined members 31 and which are disposed intermediate the pockets 25, as mentioned above.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it is readily seen that containers then being supported entirely 'bythe flller. This downward movement of the large egg causes the resilient bottoms 31 to deflect as shown at the right in Fig. 2, the amount of flexing being directly proportional to the size of the egg. The

depth of the pockets 25 are, however, of such size that a small egg, .when' resting on the flexible bottom 31, has the top thereof substantially in the plane 'of the top of the boxso that when the cover is pushed downwardly to engage the top of the filler, the small egg will remain substantially stationary and will thus cause little or no deflection in the flexible bottom 31. By means of this construction, the eggs are resiliently supported within the pockets and are notsubject ed tothe crushing weight of the upper fllled containers, thus accordingly reducing the loss of breakage. This equalizing action of the cushioning means also tends to give the eggs a more uniform appearance when the container is opened for display.

- The box, as well as the flller with its associated cushioning member, is preferably collapsible so as to facilitate shipping and storing, the box and filler being usually shipped in separate bundles,

While the present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in'connection with containers for eggs, it is contemplated that the same construction may be used for various other articles. This application is therefore not to be limited to egg containers or to the precise details disclosed, but is intended to cover all variations and modifications falling within the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A filler for a container comprising, in combination, interengaging longitudinal and transverse partition members arranged to provide a plurality of article receiving pockets, and locking means associated with said flller to lock said members together, said locking means having' a plurality of tabs extending laterally therefrom to provide flexible bottoms for said pockets.

2.- A flller for a container comprising, in combination, a plurality of interengaging longitudinal and transverse partition members arranged to provide article receiving pockets, one of said longitudinal members having a plurality of open end slots in which said transverse members are arranged to fit, and means including a strip secured to said longitudinal member and arranged to close said slots to lock said transverse members to said longitudinal member.

3. A filler for a container comprising, in combination, a plurality of intereiigaging longitudinal and transverse partition members arranged to provide article receiving pockets, and a cushioning member comprising a strip secured to one of said members and adapted to lock others of said members thereto, said strip having a plurality of erally extending .inclined tabs extending laterally therefrom to provideseparate resilient bottoms for each of said pockets.

4. A filler for acontainer comprising, in combination, a plurality of interengaging partition members arranged to provide article receiving pockets, and means including a cushioning member for concomitantly supporting articles in said pockets and for locking the partition members together.

5. A filler for a container comprising, in combination, a plurality of interengaging longitudinal and transverse partition members arranged to provide article receiving pockets, and a cushioning member secured to said filler, said/cushioning member having a longitudinally extending portion arranged to lock said partition members in interengaging relation and a plurality of laterally extending tabs which provide flexible bottoms for said pockets.

6. A partition structure for a container comprising a longitudinal partition member having a series of slots extending upwardly from the lower 'edge' of said member, a series of transverse partition members extending through said slots, and a locking member embracing the lower edge of said longitudinal member and extending along said lower edge across said slots to lock said transverse partition members in said slots.

'7. A partition structure for a container comprising a longitudinal partition member having a series of slots extending upwardly from the lower edge of said member, a series of transverse parti- .tion members extending through said slots, and

a combined locking and'cushioning member extending along the lower edge of said longitudinal member across said slots to lock said transverse partition members in said slots, and having a latportion providing cushioning bottoms for spaces between said transverse members. j

8. A partition structure for a container comprising a longitudinal partition member havinga series of'slots extending upwardly from the lower edge of said member, a series of transverse partition members extending through said slots, and 5 tending along the lower edge of said longitudinal a combined locking and cushioning member exmember across said slots to lock said transverse partition members in said slots, and having a' series of lateral tongues extending into spaces between said transverse members to provide cush-' ioning bottoms for said spaces.

HARRY A. INMAN. 

